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Any reed brands that use steel plates (as opposed to aluminum)?

The pre-war reeds had blue steel plates (I assume when people say blue steel reeds, they're referring to the plates). The plates of reeds in these old junkers I got on Ebay, easily over 100 years old, had metal that is bluish. The plates are obviously not aluminum, so I can only assume it's the blue steel everyone talks about.

Do any of you know of a brand of reed that will make these special ordered? I have this feeling that our boxes could very well sound like pre-war accordions with these kinds of reeds.

I believe it takes more than reeds being "overtuned" in order to achieve this sound.

We may find that we're currently being duped by reed makers, with aluminum, and yes I know I'm being presumptuous.

Re: Any reed brands that use steel plates (as opposed to aluminum)?

Jim Pettijohn
The pre-war reeds had blue steel plates (I assume when people say blue steel reeds, they're referring to the plates). The plates of reeds in these old junkers I got on Ebay, easily over 100 years old, had metal that is bluish. The plates are obviously not aluminum, so I can only assume it's the blue steel everyone talks about.

Do any of you know of a brand of reed that will make these special ordered? I have this feeling that our boxes could very well sound like pre-war accordions with these kinds of reeds.

I believe it takes more than reeds being "overtuned" in order to achieve this sound.

We may find that we're currently being duped by reed makers, with aluminum, and yes I know I'm being presumptuous.


Am pretty sure the blue steel is still referring to the reeds but of course I'm not an expert. For what its worth, I know Brian can get reeds on brass plats.

Re: Any reed brands that use steel plates (as opposed to aluminum)?

Blue steel is what is being used for last lot of years. Not sure, but I thought the blue steel reference is to the fact that the steel is blued, which is the color you see of the reed where it is not ground. I've never seen steel plates. The older reeds are mostly on what I think is zinc. Zinc ages to a dull blue/gray color, and the zinc plates were usually pretty thin, like the present brass bases.

No one will ever agree on what gave those old reeds the tone they had, and many prefer the newer reeds anyway. I personally, without any foundation whatsoever, think it is a combination of many things, from the steel of the reeds, the thickness and makeup of the bases, and the wood and construction of the box and reed blocks. Kind of like several subtle flavors adding up to a distinctive gumbo.

One thing that has become apparent to me recently is that there is huge science just to the reed tongue itself. Many different alloys, thicknesses, profiles, degree of taper, it just goes on and on. I've heard references to German steel versus Swiss steel, and I have no idea what that means.

Can you take a pic of your old reeds?

Re: Any reed brands that use steel plates (as opposed to aluminum)?

I heard the terms blue in relation to Swedish steel used years ago. What you see a lot is one plate, 2 mm thick big, usually brass (called "messing" here), with a lot of reeds mounted on it in old harmoniums and still in cheapo concertinas. That construction is also common in blues and other mouthblown harmonicas. Wonder if that construction was ever used in accordions, maybe with the very old ones?

PS a picture i found ... Are these to be called blue-steel reedplates?:



- Nout

Re: Any reed brands that use steel plates (as opposed to aluminum)?

In the beginning, reeds were made from brass. It was the Germans who first come up with "blue steel" reeds. They perfected a method of heat tempering thin steel so that it would be suitable for reeds. The term refers to the blue color of the steel, after it has been tempered with heat. The most common misconception, is the color is a die. It is actually caused from the very controlled heat and cooling. The "blue" is ground away when shaping the reed tung, leaving only the square portion where the rivet is, blue. I've not heard of reed plates made of steel.

Re: Any reed brands that use steel plates (as opposed to aluminum)?

Interestingly enough, the reed plates were made not entirely from zinc but a combination of zinc and lead. I always joke with a friend of mine about how much the old Sterlings, Monarchs, Globes, and Eagle Brands are hazardous to our health just because of the stuff they probably used to make and paint them.

John

Re: Any reed brands that use steel plates (as opposed to aluminum)?

John D- are you serious? Lead?? Well crap, I spent a lot of time cleaning my 1924 Hohner reeds the other day (with the finest steel wool). A bit unnerving



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